A Sunday Morning Visit to Maenzanise
United Methodist Church

several kilometers from Old Mutare, Zimbabwe

Our group of Wofford College students were invited to the home church of
the
Dean of Africa University School of Theology, seated to the right of Phillip
Davis
in the back of Larry Kies' pickup truck which hauled some of the anxious throng
the hour or so
drive along gravel roads to Maenzanise where the congregation was expecting
us.

Sitting on a high hill, the new Maenzanise church building is under constuction
and is ready for a roof. Chris Hope, Ab Abercrombie, Jane and Larry Kies and
several Wofford students are ready to go inside.

Guests and visitors were thoroughly greeted. The choir invigorated the worship
service.
Wofford and AU guests were seated up front on chairs.

The Local Pastor delivered a sermon based on the parable of the Wheat and
the Weeds from the Gospel of Matthew.
Dean Beauty translated the sermon from Shona to English.

Children sat together on mats on the floor.
Men and women of the congregation sat separately on the wooden pews.

Guests hear the different fates of the wheat and the weeds.

Until a roof can be purchased, tarps shade the congregation and choir (standing)
who are singing a recessional hymn.

Phillip

View from the new church. Homes have roofs of tin or thatch.
The reservoir created by Osbourne Dam lies in the valley.

The lay leader's wife organized a feast for the guests.
The congregation ate under a shade tree while......

The Wofford group was served in the original church building (dating from
1889)
decorated in red, white, and blue especially for us.

Following a handwashing, guests were treated to chicken, rice, and veggies.
The hospitality was unsurpased and we'll all remember very fondly this special
experience at this special place with these most hospitable people.

The welcome mat on the steps of the original church consisted of flaps of
colorful cloth,
here abstracted to illustrate how
individuals of different colors can create a beautiful assembly.